marissa-top-10

Marissa Nadler tells us about her Top 10 LPs of 2016

marissa-top-10

Marissa Nadler has wrapped up a busy year that saw her release the atramentous, dead-gorgeous Strangers, and it’s companion piece Bury Your Name (stream them both below). She also played on Ben Watt’s new album, did her first tour with a backing band, and went on the road with Ghost.

Like many other artists this year, Marissa was nice enough to send us her Top 10 LPs of 2016 list, including her thoughts on all 10, plus some other miscellaneous items as well. Check that out below.


MARISSA NADLER’S TOP 10 OF 2016

1) Nick Cave – Skeleton Tree
I literally stopped in my tracks and burst into tears listening to this album.
I think that’s all I really want to say about it right now.

2) Black Mountain – IV
In “Cemetery Breeding,” Stephen McBean photographically recounts a lustful night with a past lover in a graveyard, zeroing in on that intangible feeling of young love so succinctly that you can feel yourself transported through your own vivid memory portals, skin to skin on the cold ground. The sincerity is what makes this song so good; It’s not easy to pull off a lyric like “fucking in the graveyard” with such gravitas. Amber Webber’s gorgeous harmonies are the cosmic icing here, thankfully mixed to be a counterpart and not a background vocal, giving identity (at least in my mind), to the ghostly female presence being recounted here. It’s been a long time since I went on tour with a band I loved this much. I’m a big fan of “Space To Bakersfield” as well.

3) Muscle And Marrow – Love
Muscle and Marrow opened for me on a very long tour this year. Kira Clark is an incredibly powerful singer, and has a blood curdling scream in her vocal arsenal. Far from one dimensional, Kira can also croon with the best of them. Muscle and Marrow’s music skirts the periphery of several different genres, and will appeal to fans of metal as well as people who like damn good songs and incredible singing. I can’t wait to see them play again.

4) Narco nightime
Mary Lattimore – At The Dam
Sound manipulation and classically trained harp meet together on a psychedelic journey here. I’m a huge fan of her subtle and delicate, powerful music.

5) Dylan Carlson & Coleman Gray – Falling with a 1000 stars and other wonders from the House of Albion
I’m a diehard Earth fan and well, am a fan of pretty much everything Dylan does. This is no exception. He’s got an amazing sense of tone and has been a big inspiration to me aesthetically through the years.

6) David Bowie – Blackstar
David Bowie turned his own death into a piece of art, both musically and visually , and the result was incredibly moving. There was something comforting about this album, as if David was telling us he wasn’t going anywhere, just transferring his energy into the next spectrum.

7) Beyonce – Lemonade
This record is incredible, and the clean, ambitious production highlight’s all of Beyonce’s powers perfectly. Sandcastles has one of the best vocals I’ve heard this year. What I love about Beyonce is that she continues to push herself as an artist, exploring new genres and creating stunning visual elements to compliment the music. Instead of just phoning it in now that she’s at the top, she continues to take her artistry to the next level on every release.

8) White Lung – Paradise
For more on what I thought of this album, read my review at The Talkhouse.

9) Angel Olsen – My Woman
Angel is awesome, I adore her music and have since I met her at Ronny’s Bar in Chicago in 2006/2007. I’ve loved all of her albums so far and this is no exception.
Shut up kiss me hold me tight – also one of my favorite songs of the year

8) king dude – sex
I’m really enjoying the creepy sexy vibes on this album so far.

Misc:
-Most obsessed over but not new – Harold Budd & Brian Eno / Ambient 2 – The plateau of Mirror
-favorites not new songs this year
Gene Clark – “Gypsy Rider”
Scott Walker- “The Duchess”

Still needing to listen to Leonard Cohen’s You Want It Darker. I’m a lifelong fan and need to hear it when not in a tour van.